Forgot to add symptoms...

I am constantly feeling out of it like in a haze . foggy feeling

headaches

pressure on top of my head

dizziness

and ears sometimes hurt

Hi I can't say that I have or can go back to whom I was. This thing changes every thing in our lives. It took me a long while to understand I will never be the person I was and this is who I am now. I had work as a nurse for at least 15yrs and now will never be able to go back to the thing I loved. I wish I had some great words of wisdom but I don't. It is amazing that one split second your not who you were. I am trying very hard to figure out who I am now. All I know is somethings will return and somethings won't but no one knows how the outcome will go. Try to take one day at a time it's easy for us to overload. Some days we might be able to do this others we won't be able to just know that we have support here and can share our troubles and heartaches. Add me if you want. I hope I helped in someway. Take care. Kimmy

Hello all. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. I was in a car accident over two years ago and still have PCS. I'm confused but still have hope. I've been told it will go away one day, I'm still waiting for that day. Since then my life has been upside down and I am a different person because of it. I still have memory problems, lack of focus, and headaches. Those are the symptoms that bother me the most. Good luck to all and God bless.

erica21 and others,

Please be careful how you think about "recovering fully." You will always be Post Concussion, even when you feel 100%. Your brain will be subject to stress in every way. The best way to accept this prognosis is by just doing it. There is no easy way. Find the new you and start to build your life around this person.

There will be times when you have a high tolerance and other times when you have a low tolerance. The low tolerance times will likely be when you have other stressors setting you up for a relapse (decompensation) due to loud noises, flashing lights, chaotic environments, a high fever, etc.

You may be able to go a long time without a decomp then have a string of decomps over a short period of time. If you have people close that can help, ask them to describe the old you versus the new you. As you come to understand how others' perception of you have changed, you can learn to adjust from within.

For example, I over-react. My wife helps me leave situations where I will likely over-react. I also have to take responsibility to situations I get into. By making better choices about "having to be right" or "having to right a wrong" or "refusing to accept NO," I can avoid getting into situations where over-reacting will become a problem.

Getting drunk is a common problem for PCS. It is like getting a concussion again.

Work at learning coping skills for memory weaknesses etc. Develop habits that will carry you when you have a decomp period.

To highlight this need, let me explain my situation. I lost short term and immediate memory skills almost overnight on Jan 16, 2001. I had been used to a photographic memory. I did not use any memory tricks or systems. I did not need them. Now, I cannot remember to use the memory tricks or systems.

As a comparison, my father suffered a very slow memory function decline over 30 years. As he noticed his struggles, he developed habits of using note cards, check lists, and other memory aids. By the time he was seriously unable to remember important things, he had already developed habits that allowed him to continue to function at a high level. We did not understand how bad his memory had become until a doctor did some memory function tests. When we were told of his declining condition, he finally told us about the many things he had hidden from us by using his notes, etc.

Since we have a likelihood of an Alzheimer's like dementia at up to 18 time higher probability than the non-concussed population, developing these memory skills while we still can will be a great benefit to ourselves and our families.

btw, one of the long term symptoms of PCS is mental rigidity or inflexibility. This means we can get stuck with an erroneous understanding of something. If we have learned habits to help us understand our failing memories, it will lower our own frustration and the burden it puts on our families, etc.

As kimmyann said, one second later and you are a different person. Try to accept and embrace this new person so you can build a life with this new you.

For those of you with hopes of continuing with your sport, consider how you can destroy you life with another concussion. Build that new life without a concussion risk. You will be rewarded by the time you are forty something.

My best to you all. Here's to hope that you can enjoy your later life better than I am enduring mine.

Well said, Mark. Very well said.
As a later in life MTBI/closed head injury/PCS, also, I can appreciate the wisdom you've shared here.

Its been about 2 and a half months of dizziness and headaches. I am not finally starting to feel a bit better. I saw a massage specialist who was able to come to my house and help me out. He concentrated mostly on my spine and concluded that my vertebrae was out of place!!! has anyone else dealt w issues like this???

Hello, Jswim89 - Would you mind to clarify a little something for me, please? Above, you typed: "I am not finally starting to feel a bit better." Perhaps did you mean to type "I am now starting to feel a bit better"? It would mean a cheer of "yay!" is in order here for you, if the latter!

BTW - I have so many vertebrae out of alignment from the auto collision ... 12-15? And, I'm unsurprised. Given that you were kicked, etc, it's not surprising. As Mark in Idaho and several other longtime members have suggested here, check for an upper cervical specialist chiropractor @ nucca.com.
Hoping that you are *now* feeling better! - Theta

[QUOTE=muddyriverrugby11;636447]I am 20 years old,

I read your post and you are right, when you talk about being depresed. I had 3 days with no symptons and suddenly the symptons reappears,like it just happened. I haven't been able to go back to work. I still have the headaches,fatigue etc. I have no life,nothing just staying in the house and going to doctors appointments. I hope you get better soon. Unless you have PCS I don't think people truly get what you are going thru. Have you thought about a support group?

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone here can help me. I've suffered my fifth or sixth concussion in 18 years this last October in an assault incident. I've healed ok, no injury on the ct although I'm having an extremely hard time almost 5 months later.

I've been drinking the whole time for pain, can't sleep, can barely work. Every time I get around too many people I get irritated fast. I'm having a lot of trigger issues, more lately it seems.

I don't want to eat behavioral enhancing drugs but think I need to see a psych, my Dr. Advised it but I don't think they can do anything.

I'm eating alot of vitamins everyday and trying to stop drinking but it's very hard. Some weeks I can barely make it and need the whole weekend to rest.

I'm trying to rest as much as possible but things just seem to be getting worse.

My primary said I have severe PTSD. I feel ok sometimes.

Is this going to last forever? Will I ever fully recover? How do I tell my family and my daughters if my personality or behavior is permanently affected? Is there anything holistically or naturally that I can do to help my brain heal and help me stop drinking?

Much appreciated.

MTN

mnila 1,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

My first suggestion is that you find a program to help you stop drinking. It is not good for healing. Getting upset in crowds just means you need to avoid crowds. many of us have to avoid crowds. The concussed brain does not tolerate crowds with the many voices etc.

What other symptoms are you experiencing ?
What are your triggers for these symptoms ?
What vitamins are you taking ?

My best to you.